ROLL UP YOUR SLEEVES! 5 HOLIDAY COOKIES WORTH BAKING

When people exchange pleasantries and say that they’re so happy it’s the “Holiday Season,” or sheepishly excuse their heinously high credit card statement because “it’s the Giving Season,” it’s all I can do to not shake them instead of shake my head that they are missing the bigger picture. Yes, it’s the holiday season, and by association, the giving season. But, more (or most) importantly…it’s the cookie season! Can you think of one other time of year when cookies are in such abundance? When Rachel from accounting just happens to have a heaping pile of leftovers from her Christmas party and brings them in as some sort of free-for-all or cookies just magically appear, disappear, and reappear on every counter top you regularly pass. It’s a glorious season, regardless of the repercussions to waist lines and overall fitness that may or may not ensue.

If you’re a cookie connoisseur, you’ll know that the best kind of cookies are homemade cookies. Sure, nobody’s ever mad about an Oreo here and there, but we’re all mad if we go into the cookie jar at home and crumbs are all that we find. If you’ve ever cared to bake your own, though, you’ll also know that they can be a bit of a mess in the making. Flour’s easy to get in every crevice in sight, and there’s just something about cracking an egg into a mixing bowl that begs to be spilt on the floor. There are some recipes, however, that are easily worth the reward. Try not to drool over these finds that you might want to whip up to impress your friends at a holiday gathering or keep to yourself in the ultimate cookie season binge celebration.

Bakery Style Molasses Cookies

We might have all turned our noses up at molasses cookies when we were younger, but let’s take the time now to come clean: We were wrong. These very cookies, which I scoffed at as if they were roasted vegetables in my youth, have become a favorite of mine over the years. They’re simple to bake, classic cookies that definitely have an addictive quality about them. Plus, there’s just something about molasses that makes you feel as if Santa’s just about to pop down your chimney and share a steaming mug of cocoa with you, is there not?

Thumbprint cookies are a holiday classic. Familiar in the hearts and homes of many, they often have different takes such as fillings like jam, chocolate frosting, caramel, preserves, and more. And while it’s hard to pick a version to represent this cookie species, I think this interpretation is definitely a solid choice. After all, it’s not just caramel, it’s salted caramel…and it’s sitting on a bed of chocolaty, nutty goodness. Where could it go wrong?

This recipe is from a food blog called Cooking Classy, which proudly boasts recipes with a “sprinkle of fancy:”

If you haven’t had at least some version of the modern day hit cookie fondly known as the Oreo truffle you need to either A) Reconsider who your friends are (yes, this is me pointing to the ones who bring veggie trays to pot lucks) B) Reconsider your choices (you went for a plain sugar cookie over these?!) or C) All of the above. You can pop these into your mouth before you realize that there’s enough cream cheese for an NYC bagel shop in them, and go on to enjoy them too much to care even after you realize the damage done. I’ve yet to have the peppermint flavored ones, but if my instincts serve me right, I will enjoy them just as much as the plain ones – the only difference being that I’ll likely hum Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You” while I deny how many I’ve had.

If you think a lemon cookie can’t be as irresistible and tempting as its chocolate competition, think again. Snowball cookies are another Christmas classic that come with tweaks here and there to make them unique to the families or bakers that are making them. Think pecans vs. almonds, or a little lemon twist, such as in these. Lemon and sugar together make for a tart, sweet, melt-in-your mouth holiday treat.

Is there any point in trying to beat the chocolate chip cookie? I’ve had a lot of good cookies in my day, but none that can rival the homemade classic taste and comfort of a chocolate chip cookie. We can at least add a little holiday cheer to them, even if only to make the other cookies feel less deflated at the notion that they never stood a chance. These cookies add cake mix to the batter for the perfect consistency (if you haven’t tried this hack yet, you’ll have to trust me when I say the difference is INSANE). Fluffy, buttery, sugared-up gooeyness. AKA worth the mess, every time.